“This is the strongest we’ve been all year,” MIBR cortezia ready to make a statement at Champions 2025 Playoffs

MIBR secured the final spot in the VALORANT Champions 2025 Playoffs by defeating Rex Regum Qeon 2-0. In an exclusive interview with esports.gg, Gabriel "cortezia" Cortez reflected on the team’s growth since the start of the year, the support from his family, embracing their underdog status, representing Brazil, and much more.

Sofia: In the game presentation video, you mentioned “being your best version.” Do you think you managed to reach that place today?

MIBR cortezia: I don't think so. We always have to be better, right? That's the idea, we have to come better than the day before. I can answer that I was a better cortezia than the one who played against FNATIC. But the goal is to go even further than that.

Sofia: On stage, your energy is contagious. You manage to get everyone excited about the match. Where do you get all that energy from?

MIBR cortezia: Always from my team. I look to the side and see the incredible people who are playing with me. That gives me the energy to put their mood at the top and make them scream as well.

Since yesterday, I woke up with a slight pain in my throat, and I'm recovering. So I made artzin do that screaming job for me. He was great. I really wanted to be in that moment, but I'm sparing my voice so as not to get worse and scream a lot in the next match.

Sofia: How were you handling the pressure of knowing this could have been your final match at Champions 2025?

MIBR cortezia: Today, it could have been our last day here at Champions, or more days could have come, right? Thank God, I'm going to have more days here. I don't mind that pressure, and I think the whole team was very confident that we could win.

I visualized the victory because I was sure we were going to win. We are better, we are better, we are playing better. I was telling myself that. We are going to win. That way, I ended up not being very pressured about a possible losing scenario. Because sometimes your mind will sabotage you. Thank God I was in a very good mental state today with the team and worked for a victory, and it came.

Sofia: Do you feel that, with this roster, and after a tough season followed by the European bootcamp, MIBR has finally found its strongest tactical identity?

MIBR cortezia: No doubts about that. This is the strongest MIBR we’ve seen all year. We have been playing so well together, we trust each other, we are tactically aligned, and all on the same page now. This is the best MIBR we have shown since Stage 1, which was a stage where we played very well. I always said in interviews that we could always get so much better. Unfortunately, we fell during the year, but now we have risen again and I'm sure we still have a lot to improve.

Sofia: Against BLG, many doubted MIBR. The same happened against FNATIC. Do you feel MIBR still hasn’t received the respect it deserves?

MIBR cortezia: I understand why people assumed we were the underdogs due to our performance during Stage 2 and also in the Masters Toronto, in which we had a big losing streak. I understand, but we are here to prove the opposite.

The tournament will have the fans' cheering, people not believing, but what really matters is how proud I am of my team because, even when people were not believing in us, we looked at each other and trusted in each other, that we would give our maximum. Let's see if they respect us more now that we have reached the Playoffs. If they don't, that's totally okay. We will continue to show our game.

Sofia: What has it been like representing Brazil as the only team in a tournament of this magnitude?

MIBR cortezia: Unfortunately we are the only Brazilian team qualifying for Champions this year. I wanted to thank the fans because, due to football, we can get very competitive. For example, fans who cheer for LOUD or Furia, or 2G, do not always cheer for MIBR.

But since we are the only team, we are not MIBR anymore. We are Brazil, and we are representing our country, and I hope that I can make everyone proud. We have been suffering a hard time in FPS lately, so I hope I can bring some happiness to my country, my family, my girlfriend, and everyone.

Sofia: We know you had the presence of your family in Stage 1. Are they here in Paris now as well?

MIBR cortezia: No, they are not. They are in Brazil.

Sofia: Do you miss them here?

MIBR cortezia: For sure. It would be very nice to have them here. In the Americas, during Stage 1, my girlfriend, my mom, and my dad were able to go. They saw two games there and cheered for me. It is so nice, you know? To have them there, especially after a win.

You hug your team, and then you can go to the public and hug your family, the people you love so much. Unfortunately, they are not here with me in person, but I know they are at home cheering for me. My dad screams a lot. I feel them here with me, even if they are far away. I hope they were here as well.

Sofia: Can we safely say that you took all that energy from your dad?

MIBR cortezia: Yes, my dad screams a lot at home when he is cheering our matches. We have to put a camera there to record him!

Sofia: On the Brazilian podcast Revelando Área, you predicted that MIBR would make it to the Playoffs, and you did. Considering this is your first season in VCT Tier 1, did you imagine you’d be playing on two international stages and even becoming one of the best Sentinel players in VCT Americas in your first year?

MIBR cortezia: When I signed with MIBR, with aspas and fRoD in the team, I knew we were a team with potential to dispute a Champions. Aspas didn't fail a single edition.

My expectations were high. I knew it was not going to be easy, and that we needed to work a lot. But I had some doubts as well. "Will we go to a Masters? Will we make it to Champions?" Thank God, everything happened, and I'm very grateful for that.

We didn't play our best in the Masters, but at least I went to a Masters for the first time in my career. I was not expecting it to happen. I want to work really hard to improve to be considered one of the best sentinels of the VCT Americas and, who knows, one of the best in the world.

Sofia: The last Brazilian team to bring a trophy was LOUD in 2022. Do you believe MIBR, with this roster, can bring one more to the country?

MIBR cortezia: We are very confident. I think we have the level to be champions. A team can be better on paper, but in the 13 rounds inside the game, nothing else matters. Sometimes, a bad round dictates the whole series. We have always been punishing the enemies' errors.

There are no silly teams in the VCT. Now that there are only eight teams in the Playoffs, there are literally the eight best teams in the world. It is not going to be easy, but I believe our team has the level to go further in the competition.

Sofia: What do you think about facing Team Heretics first?

MIBR cortezia: I'm excited to play against them. It's the first time I will play against Team Heretics. They were second last year, so they are an experienced team. But we have been focusing on our game. I can say that I don't mind who I am playing against.

I'm focused on my team, and that's why we have been playing so well. We are keeping going with our thing. I usually only know who I am playing when I start the match. I respect them a lot, but we are very confident in ourselves, and we will see if they respect us.

Sofia: Which message do you want to leave for your fans?

MIBR cortezia: I want to thank every fan, the ones who always believe. Because after Stage 2, it was very hard to believe in the team when we didn't even reach the Playoffs. For those who believe since the beginning, thank you so much.

For those who are starting to believe again, I don't blame you, but keep believing in us. Believe in MIBR, believe in Brazil. We still have a lot to show, and I just wanted to thank everyone. Thanks to God, my family, my girlfriend, and everyone who is cheering for us. I hope I can make you proud!

Note: This article was originally written in Portuguese and translated into English, with slight adaptations made for clarity.

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